Stock-car partition



Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,287.

T. F. WALSH.

STOCK CAR PARTITION.

HLED JUNE 13, 1921.

Thomas Wa/s/i INVENTOR.

BY a

wi fiw A TTORNE Y.

Patented 6 i923.

rarest as THOMAS F. VIALSH, OF ALEXANDRIA,

NEBRASKA.

STOCK-GAR PARTITION.

Application filed June 13, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, T norms F. WALSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alexandria, in the county of Thayer and State Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Car Partitions, of which the following is a speci lication.

In handling mined shipments of live stock, th railroad companies and the shippers are compelled to separate the various classes. This is also true if one or more fractious animals are included in a shipment of live stock. This separation is usually accomplished by first leading one group of animals, driving them into one end of the car, and then segregating them by means of rails and bean s extending across the car. These rails and beams are secured to the frame of the car by means of spikes. The process is then repeated with the next group of animals, and so on until the car is loaded.

This method entails a large amount of labor in fitting andv nailing the rails and beams, and the time lost is wasteful to the railroad company in idle stock cars and to the shipper in the unuue excitement and resultant loss of weight in the cattle. During the journey the cattle often get their feet through between the rails, thus requiring frequent attention on the part of the attendant to prevent broken legs. After unloading, the spikes are often left protruding from the frame of the car, and the railroad company is liable for damages result ng from injuries to subsequent shipments of stoclr. The frequent repetition of this process of spiking temporary partitions splits the car beams and very materially lessens the life of the car.

To obviate these difliculties, my invention has for its object a portable partition which is strong; enough to withstand the rough usage which it must get, but light enough to be carried and put into place by one man. With this and other objects in View, my in vention is fully described and shown in thespecification and accompanying drawings, in which F ig. 1 illustrates the invention in use to divide off a section of the car, the partition extending from side to side of the car, and

Fig. 2 illustrates the invention as it may be used to confine one or at most a few head of stock at the end or side of the car.

The partition consists of two similar sec- Serial No. 477,219.'

tions having a combined length of approximately the width of a stock car. These sections are formed of upper channel iron beams l and 2 which are curved at both extremities lower channel iron beams 3 and 4 which are similarly curved at their e3;- tremities, and upright channel iron beams connecting the upper and lower beams near their extremities. A channel iron beam located approximately midway between the upper and lower beams, and parallel to them, connects the upiht beams of each section and gives rigidity to the section. Each section is further braced by an iron or steel rod 5 and 6 near its outer extremity, and on this rod 0. metal plate 7 slidably fitted. Two straps 8 each having its ends bent to occupy parallel planes, are provided, and each strap has apertures for the reception of bolts or other fastening means 9 and 10. he outer extremities of the lower beams 3 and 4t are apertured for the reception of bolts 11. Bolts 12 pass through the apertures in the straps 7, and bolt 13 passin g through the aperture at the extremity of the beam 2 connects the partition directly to the frame of the car. It should be noted that the aperture in the outer extremity of plate 7 is in alignment with the apertures through which bolts 10 and 11 passv onnecting the two sections is a pivot bar 14 which passes through aligned apertures near the inner extremities of the beams 1, 2, 3, and 4-. This pivot bar constitutes the pintle of the hinge on which the two sections pivot when folding, unfolding, and adjusting the partition. The lower end 15 of the pivot bar 14L constitutes a shoe and preferably rounded but may be otherwise provided with a friction reducing surface or element. These means of uniting the sections not only serve to hinge them together, but permit a certain amount of play in the structure when buffeted by the cattle.

Numerals l6 and 18 represent beams in the frame structure of the car. Each section of the partition is further provided with an iron or steel fabric .17 with meshes just small enough when in vertical position to prevent the passage of the animals foot. The edges of the fabric are secured to the upper and lower beams and to the upright beams.

In use, the outer extremity of one of the sections is secured in a predetermined location as follows: Bolt 11 is passed through lOS the aperture near the extremity of one of the beams 3 or d and through the floor ot the car, and secured by any appropriate means beneath the car, such as a nut 01' a cotter pin. Then if the car beam happens to be at the level shown at the right in Fig. 1, beam 2 of the frame is secured directly to the car beam 18 by means of bolt 13, and it additional rigidity is desired, the plate 7 is pushed up flush with the lower surface of the beam 18, and the bolt 13 is passed through apertures in eleme its l8, and T and secured by a nut at its lower end. It however the beam 0;? the car frame is lower or higher than the top ot the partition, the brace 8 is used shown to secure the upper beam 1 or Q, to the car. It will he noted that regardless of the method of fastening, the section is adapted to swing on its fastening means as a hinge.

After one end ol the partition has been secured to the side of the car, a passage l r the cattle is formed either b swinging the uusemired section on the pintle 14 or by swinging the whole partition on its fastening means as a pivot, or both. The cattle are then driven into the end oil the car, the partition is swung into position, and the free end is secured to the opposite wall of the car in the manner before described.

When it is desired to segregate only a few head of stock, the partition may be used in the manner shown in Fig. 2, either atthe end or side of the car. The method of securing it to the car and of confining the stock is substantially the same as the one shown in Fig. 1, except that both ends are secured to the same wall. ldhe appliance may be used also in the corner oi the car, one section being: fastened to the end frame and the other to the side frame 0t thercar.

ll hile my invention is designed primarily for use in connection with stock cars, its

uitility on farms and in stool; yards is obvious. Its light weight combined with great strength, and particularly its great adapt ability to practically every kind of a structure, make it invaluable wherever live stock of any kind is handled.

ll hen not in use, the appliance may be folded into a compact bundle. Because of the curved ends of: the beams 11., 2, 3, and l, the two sections may be folded flat. The appliance may then be hung out oil? the way :trom a hook, or numbers of them may be packed into a small space by placing one on top ol another, the construction of the hinge being such as to minimize irregularities.

Having; fully illust 'ated and described the preferred form of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I donot limit myself to the specific materials or construction shown'and described by way of example, nor in general do 1 limit myself otherwise than as set forth in the claims, read in connection with the specification.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lett rs Patent of the United States of America, is

1. 1i partition for stock cars comprising two sections, each section havin an uppe' beam of channel iron and a lower beam or" channel iron, the beams being; curved at their extremities and on the same side of each section, channel-iron bars connecting the upper and lower beams of each section, a pintle passing through the middle points of the curved extremities at the inner ends of the two sections to hold the sections in hinged relation, and means at the outer ends of the sections for securing the partition to the walls of a stoclr car.

2. A. partition for stock cars, said partition including upper and lower beams provided with aligned apertures at their extremities, a rod connecting the upper and lower beams, a plate slidably mounted on said rod, said plate having an aperture in alignment with the a iiertures in said upper and lower beams, said apertures being provided for the reception of means for securing the extremities of the partition to the walls of a car.

3. A partition for stock curs, said partition including upper and lower beams pro-- vided with aligned apertures at their ont-reinities, a strap having its ends bent into parallel relation, apertures in the parallel ends of the trap, means passing through an aperture in the strap and through an ap ture at the extremity of the upper beam "for securing said strap to said upper beam, the aperture in the free end of said strap being adapted for the insertion of means for securing said strap to the wall of the car at a higher or lower level than the upper beam of the partition.

ln testimony whereet l allii: my signature. 

